Swing Arm for LED Lamp over Lathe

[Don52 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Don52]

For the past three years I have been working on an addition to the back of my garage. Recently I have begun moving my machine tools into the addition, which is nearing completion. My lathe in its original location had a large shelf above it, with a 4' light mounted below it. The lighting was so good that I never bothered to install the task light that came with the lathe. In the following picture you can see the light above the lathe in its old location.

1. Old lathe location


In the following picture you can see the lathe in its new location. The ceiling is 9'4" and I was spoiled by the excellent light from the previous location so I added a light on a swing arm in the same relative position as the old lathe location. The swing arm was necessary to swing the light out of the way to allow the chainfall to move on the I-beam above the lathe.

2. New lathe location


I decided to use 3/4" EMT conduit for the swing arms. I sanded off the galvanize with a 120 grit sanding flap disk. I made the welds using my
Lincoln 140 amp welder with .025" wire, using the default WFS and Voltage settings. Below is a picture of one of the two swing arms.

3. New swing arm for LED


And here is a close up of one of the welds.

4. Close up of weld


And here is a close up of one weld painted. The Rustoleum aluminum color paint makes the sanded and welded area blend in nicely.

5. Close up of weld painted

[Don52 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Don52]

I often put plywood on top of the wire shelving to keep small stuff from falling through, so I just used a hole saw to drill a hole through the plywood to support the swing arm. I used a radiator clamp to hold the swing arm and a washer to minimize wear on the plywood.

6. Mounted swing arm


Normally the swing arm is extended holding the light directly above the centerline of the lathe.

7. Swing arm extended


When I want to use the chainfall to move a heavy tailstock or chuck I can swing the arm to the retracted position shown below.

8. Swing arm retracted


I added swivel links to allow the light to rotate relative to the swing arm. The best way to find the correct size swivel links is to search for "key chain swivel links". The jewelry swivel links are too expensive and the rigging type swivel links are too large and expensive.

9. Swivel link


-Don

[Aeronca41 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Aeronca41]

Simple, cheap, and very effective! Nice work, Don.

[ryanjones2150 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ryanjones2150]

Good looking machine too.

[Ltbadd Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ltbadd]

Nice setup, we have the same lathe at my day job

[MetalnTrucks Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MetalnTrucks]

Wow what an awesome setup. Great job on the light hangers. There's nothing like having a well lit work area.

[Don52 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Don52]

Thanks for all of your comments.

There's nothing like having a well lit work area.

Unfortunately as I get older "well lit" requires even more lignts.

-Don

[Aeronca41 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Aeronca41]

Thanks for all of your comments.



Unfortunately as I get older "well lit" requires even more lignts.

-Don

I sure do hear that, Don. I just put an 8' two tube fluorescent right over my lathe. Just couldn't see things any more.

[Tinker Joe 2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tinker Joe 2]

Great looking shop, love the Lathe, lights don't think there ever is enough, it like tools and Lathes, fixing to get a 9" Logan a lady gave me, my wife where are going to put that one you have several, I told her in the living room, don't try that, they don't go for that.

[Aeronca41 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Aeronca41]

Great looking shop, love the Lathe, lights don't think there ever is enough, it like tools and Lathes, fixing to get a 9" Logan a lady gave me, my wife where are going to put that one you have several, I told her in the living room, don't try that, they don't go for that.

I remember a rather long discussion at home when dad put the horizontal stabilizer from a Taylorcraft behind the couch in the living room......